Poinsettia plant named ‘PER8603’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER8603’, characterized by its uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; late season flowering response; inflorescences with pink and creamy white bi-colored flower bracts; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER8603’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘PER8603’.

The new Poinsettia a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of the breeding programis to create new Poinsettia cultivars having flower bracts withdesirable colors, uniform plant habit and excellent post-productionlongevity.

The new Poinsettia is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of aproprietary selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as5-01, not patented. The cultivar ‘PER8603’ was discovered and selectedby the Inventor from within a population of plants of the parentselection a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. in December,2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled environment in Encinitas, Calif. sinceFebruary, 2003, has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘PER8603’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘PER8603’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PER8603’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   4. Late season flowering response; under natural season        conditions, plants flower in about 9 weeks in Encinitas, Calif.    -   5. Inflorescences with pink and creamy white bi-colored flower        bracts.    -   6. Excellent post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differed from plants of the parent selection,primarily in flower bract color as plants of the parent selection hadpink-colored flower bracts.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Poinsettiacultivar Peterstar Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,879. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differed from plants of the cultivar Peterstar Pink inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the cultivar Peterstar Pink.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about a week later than        plants of the cultivar Peterstar Pink grown under natural season        conditions.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the cultivar Peterstar Pink        differed in flower bract coloration as plants of the cultivar        Peterstar Pink had pink-colored flower bracts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Poinsettia.

The photograph at the bottom of sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘PER8603’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘PER8603’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.during the winter in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and underconditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial Poinsettia production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures averaged 24° C., night averaged 19° C. and light levelswere about 4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants weregrown in 16.5-cm pots and pinched one time. Plants were about 14 weeksold when the photographs and the detailed description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima cultivar ‘PER8603’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of a proprietary    selection of Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. identified as 5-01, not    patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at 20° C. to 22° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            20° C. to 22° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright, outwardly spreading            and mounded plant habit; inverted triangle. Inflorescences            positioned above the foliar plane. Moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 38 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about six lateral branches develop after pinching.            Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Internode            length: About 1.7 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 146B.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 10 cm. Width: About 6.6 cm. Shape: Elliptic;            occasionally three-pointed. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute.            Margin: Lobed. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Minute            pubescence. Surface: Rugose. Aspect: Mostly flat. Color:            Developing foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            Darker than 147A; venation, 147C. Fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: 147A; venation, 147D. Petiole: Length: About            7.5 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            146C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Inflorescences are compound            corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts subtending the            cyathia. One inflorescence per lateral branch. Flowers are            not fragrant. Flowers persistent. Inflorescences positioned            above the foliage.        -   Natural flowering season.—Autumn/winter; inflorescence            initiation and development is induced under long nyctoperiod            conditions. Late season flowering; response time, about 9            weeks; natural season flowering maturity date is early            December for plants grown in Encinitas, Calif.        -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production            longevity; plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good            substance and bract color for about four weeks under            interior conditions.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 25 cm. Height (depth):            About 3.5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18. Length,            largest bracts: About 11.5 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            8 cm. Shape: Elliptic or occasionally three-pointed. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Acute to attenuate. Margin: Entire or with            three points. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Surface: Initially rugose, becoming smooth with            development. Aspect: Initially upright to eventually flat.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing or transitional            bracts, upper surface: Centers, 50C; towards the margins,            5C. Developing or transitional bracts, lower surface:            Centers, 50B; towards the margins, 1D. Fully developed            bracts, upper surface: Centers, 50C; towards the margins,            5D. Centers becoming closer to 50D with development. Fully            developed bracts, lower surface: Centers, 50B to 50C;            towards the margins, 4C. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:            Similar to flower bract color. Bract petiole: Length: About            4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            144A.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About ten. Diameter of cyathia            cluster: About 2 cm. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color, immature: 144B. Color, mature: 144C.            Nectaries: Quantity per cyathium: About one or two. Size:            About 2 mm by 4 mm. Color: 14A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: 145B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium: About            ten. Anther shape: Oval; bi-lobed. Anther length: Less than            1 mm. Anther color: 8B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Pollen            color: 12A. Pistils: None observed. Seed/fruit: Seed and            fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Poinsettias.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 15° C. to about    30° C.

1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER8603’ as illustrated and described. 